Is The Knot free for couples?

Yes. The Knot says its planning tools are free for couples. Guests who give to a cash fund by credit card pay a 2.5% processing fee; Venmo has no fee.

What does The Knot cost wedding vendors?

A Basic storefront is free. Premium plans with more placement and leads are paid, and WeddingPro does not publish their prices on its plans page.

How is United Vows different from The Knot for vendors?

United Vows has no advertising plan to buy. Listing is free and the only automatic charge is a 7 to 9% commission on payments couples make you through United Vows. Proposals, contracts, invoices and payments are included. The Knot reaches far more couples today.

Yes. Nothing stops a couple or a vendor from using both. Many vendors keep a storefront where couples already search and use United Vows to run bookings and get paid.

United Vows vs The Knot

The short answer

Both are free for couples. The Knot has a much larger vendor marketplace, a full gift registry store and 30 years of brand history; vendors pay for advertising through WeddingPro. United Vows charges vendors no subscription or lead fee, only a 7 to 9% commission on payments couples make them through it, and includes contracts, invoices and payments in the same place couples plan.

Last checked October 6, 2026 · See sources

United Vows and The Knot, side by side

Facts about other companies come from their own pages and carry a numbered source. Where a company does not publish something, the cell says so.

United Vows and The Knot, side by side
What we compared	United Vows	The Knot
What couples pay	United VowsFree for couples, with no platform fees. The price a vendor quotes is the price you pay.^[1]	The KnotFree for couples to use its planning tools. It also sells invitations and stationery.^[2]
How vendors pay	United VowsFree to list. No subscription, no lead fees, no annual contract. Commission of 9%, 8% or 7% on payments couples make the vendor through United Vows; the rate falls as booked contract value grows. Founding Vendors get one point off at the first two tiers for 3 years.^[1]^[3]	The KnotAdvertising through WeddingPro: a free Basic storefront, or paid Premium plans with more placement and leads. Premium prices are not published on the plans page.^[4]
Planning tools	United VowsA ready-made plan with tasks, timeline and reminders, a budget tracker, RSVP tracking, vendor matching and Vows Assistant for planning questions.^[1]	The KnotChecklist, budget tool, guest list manager, digital RSVPs and a mobile app.^[2]
Website and registry	United VowsFree wedding website with sections drafted for you and online RSVPs.^[1]	The KnotFree wedding websites. Universal registry with its own store, synced retailer registries and cash funds. The Knot takes no percentage of cash gifts; guests paying by credit card pay a 2.5% processing fee, while Venmo is fee-free.^[2]^[5]
Vendor marketplace	United VowsVendor directory with matches scored on style, budget and location. Listings show whether a vendor is verified; many start from public business data until the owner claims them. Couples sign and pay vendors through Stripe in the app.^[6]^[7]	The KnotVendor Marketplace with about 175,000 wedding pros across the US in more than 20 categories, per The Knot.^[2]
Reviews	United VowsVerified reviews come only from couples who booked and paid through United Vows. Nobody can buy one.^[8]	The KnotCouples review vendors, and vendors collect and display reviews on their storefronts. WeddingPro says The Knot and WeddingWire host more than 9 million couple reviews.^[4]

The Knot and WeddingWire are both part of The Knot Worldwide. Vendors advertise on both through the same WeddingPro plans.^[4]

Where The Knot is stronger

A far larger, long-established directory: about 175,000 wedding pros in more than 20 categories, and a brand The Knot says couples have trusted for 30 years.^[2]
A full registry: its own gift store, registries from partner retailers that sync automatically, experiences and cash funds on one list.^[2]^[5]
Deep editorial content, a print magazine, an invitation store and a mobile app.^[2]
Audience: WeddingPro reports more than 15 million unique visitors a month across The Knot and WeddingWire.^[4]
Review history: WeddingPro says The Knot and WeddingWire host more than 9 million couple reviews, so established vendors arrive with a track record.^[4]

Where United Vows is different

Vendors pay no subscription and no lead fees. The only automatic charge is a 7 to 9% commission on payments couples make them through United Vows, and the rate drops as their booked contract value grows.^[1]
Couples pay no platform fee. The commission comes from the vendor’s side, so the vendor’s quote is the couple’s total.^[1]
Couples sign and pay their vendors through Stripe inside United Vows, next to their budget and checklist.^[6]
Vendor business tools are included: proposals, contracts signed in the app, invoices, inbox, calendar, profit tracking per booking and email follow-ups.^[1]
A verified review can only come from a couple who booked and paid through United Vows, so verified reviews cannot be bought.^[8]

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Questions people ask

Is The Knot free for couples?: Yes. The Knot says its planning tools are free for couples. Guests who give to a cash fund by credit card pay a 2.5% processing fee; Venmo has no fee.
What does The Knot cost wedding vendors?: A Basic storefront is free. Premium plans with more placement and leads are paid, and WeddingPro does not publish their prices on its plans page.
How is United Vows different from The Knot for vendors?: United Vows has no advertising plan to buy. Listing is free and the only automatic charge is a 7 to 9% commission on payments couples make you through United Vows. Proposals, contracts, invoices and payments are included. The Knot reaches far more couples today.
Can I use both?: Yes. Nothing stops a couple or a vendor from using both. Many vendors keep a storefront where couples already search and use United Vows to run bookings and get paid.

Sources

Every fact about another company comes from that company’s own website, read on the date shown. Prices and policies change. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it: support@unitedvows.com

[1]United Vows: Pricing (checked October 6, 2026)
[2]The Knot: The Knot FAQ (checked October 6, 2026)
[3]United Vows: Founding Vendor program (checked October 6, 2026)
[4]WeddingPro (The Knot Worldwide): Advertising plans for wedding professionals (checked October 6, 2026)
[5]The Knot: The Knot Registry (checked October 6, 2026)
[6]United Vows: For couples (checked October 6, 2026)
[7]United Vows: How we list vendors (checked October 6, 2026)
[8]United Vows: Home page: why join (checked October 6, 2026)

The Knot, WeddingWire, WeddingPro, Zola and Joy are trademarks of their owners. United Vows is not affiliated with them. This page compares published pricing and features, not the quality of any company’s service.